give somebody/get the cold shoulder

get the cold shoulder

To be snubbed or treated coldly, especially after previous positive interactions. This phrase usually refers to the act of ignoring someone. It originated with the 19th-century practice of serving a cold shoulder of meat to tiresome guests. She thinks you started that rumor about her—that's why you've been getting the cold shoulder from her all day.

See also: cold, get, shoulder

give somebody/get the cold ˈshoulder

treat somebody/be treated in a deliberately unfriendly way: I try to chat to my colleagues during the lunch hour, but for some reason they’ve been giving me the cold shoulder. OPPOSITE: with open armsOne theory about the origin of this expression is that it refers to meat. Meat cut from the shoulder of an adult sheep was very cheap, so giving visitors this meat served cold was a sign that they were not welcome.

See also: cold, get, give, shoulder, somebody